Knowledge, Attitude, and Prevention Practice towards Scabies among Haramaya University Health and Medical Science Students, Harar, Ethiopia 2022

Background: Scabies is a skin disease caused by infestation and sensitization to Sarcoptes scabies mites and is an endemic in tropical and subtropical areas. It is a common skin infestation, endemic in developing countries, usually affecting families and large groups of people living together. Objective: The study was aimed to assess Knowledge, attitude, and prevention practice towards scabies among Haramaya university health and medical science students, Harar, Ethiopia, 2022. Methods: Institutional -based Cross-sectional study was conducted from April 25- May 21, 2022 among 417 randomly selected students. Self-administered questioner was used to collect data. The collected data was entered into SPSS version 22 for analysis. Descriptive and analytic data was used to present the finding. Result: Approximately 62.85% of the students demonstrated a high understanding of scabies, encompassing its transmission, symptoms, and prevention methods. Conversely, 6.1% exhibited poor knowledge. A finding of attitudes towards scabies among students only 36.7% demonstrating good attitude towards the condition. The data provided underscores a significant variation in scabies prevention practices among students with 65.8% exhibiting good practices. Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of continuous education and awareness programs to enhance knowledge and attitudes, which in turn can lead to better practices. It also underscores the need for targeted interventions to address the gaps identified in both knowledge levels and attitudes to foster a more proactive approach to scabies prevention and management. The findings serve as a valuable benchmark for the university and health authorities to develop tailored strategies that can improve health outcomes related to scabies within the community.